HBO’s ‘Project Greenlight’ Reveals why Hollywood Still has a Diversity Problem

Norman Weiss September 14, 2015, 9:55 pm

HBO’s Project Greenlight reveals why Hollywood still has a diversity problem

On the season premiere, Matt Damon awkwardly explained diversity to a top black producer. “When you’re talking about diversity, you do it in the casting of the film, not the casting of the show,” Damon said, arguing that the Project Greenlight competition shouldn’t take diversity into consideration. That comment resulted in a Twitter backlash against Damon.

YouTube star PewDiePie is making a TV show

PewDiePie, who’s real name is Felix Kjellberg, is set to use his 40 million subscribers to launch a TV show. “I can’t really say too much of what I’m doing here,” he said in a video posted from L.A. “People are worried it’s gonna leak into the media too soon. This vlog might ruin it.”

Why the prospects of a woman hosting a late-night TV prospects are so depressing

The infamous Vanity Fair late-night photo featured 10 men, six of whom who started in their current jobs in the past two years. That’s six men hired “amid a resounding demand for a female host,” as Kevin Fallon points out. “Each time a woman is passed over, the disappointment cuts deeper. The outrage is louder,” says Fallon. “At an age when representation, visibility, and access in entertainment have become not just a goal, but a veritable cultural mandate, it’s starting to seem to those people that there may never be a woman in a prominent position in late-night. And they may be right.” PLUS: Trevor Noah reacts to Vanity Fair cover by saying women are currently more powerful than men in comedy.

South Park will tackle Caitlyn Jenner and Deflategate in its season premiere

The Season 19 premiere is titled Stunning and Brave.

George R.R. Martin approves of a Game of Thrones burlesque show

Martin’s New Mexico theater Jean Cocteau Cinema will host Burlesque is Coming: A Tribute to the Works of George R.R. Martin.

Is Stephen Colbert trapped by his own niceness?

The weakest part of Colbert’s Late Show is his interviewing style, even with Vice President Joe Biden, says Alyssa Rosenberg. She thinks his newfound niceness is to blame: “I appreciate Colbert’s attempts to emphasize niceness and sincerity as he moves away from his aggressive moron persona. Niceness, though, takes as much calibration as meanness, and this challenge has manifested particularly starkly in Colbert’s early interviews.” PLUS: Inside a Late Show taping, delving into Colbert’s opening credits, and why Republicans suddenly love Colbert.

Terence Howard has yet to see his Empire money, which goes to his estranged wife

Howard also says in a new Rolling Stone profile that Lucious Lyon may be his last role. PLUS: Rafael de la Fuente is set to return.

The Vampire Diaries is using Game of Thrones as a model for how it moves forward without its lead character

Exec producer Julie Plec says if Game of Thrones can live without Ned Stark, than Vampire Diaries can do the same without Elena Gilbert.

Why the “Golden Age for Women in TV” is actually a rerun

Two of seven Outstanding Comedy Series this year Emmy nominees were created by women (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Transparent). Yet as Nell Scovell points out, 25 years ago, in 1990, three out of the five comedy nominees were created by women (The Golden Girls, Murphy Brown and Designing Women).

Claire Danes to receive a Hollywood Walk of Fame star

The Homeland star will be honored during a Hollywood Blvd. ceremony on Sept. 24. PLUS: Danes goes behind the scenes of Season 5.

Watch Buffy’s Nicholas Brendon storm off Dr. Phil

Dr. Phil presented ET with a clip of Brendon’s sudden exit. “We’re done,” Brendon says. “I’m not doing this.”

A history of The Golden Girls theme song

Thank You for Being a Friend was “just this little throwaway thing” written in 1978. PLUS: Ranking every Golden Girls episode.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia teases Season 11

The FXX comedy returns in January.

ABC orders a Kevin Williamson drama about a young H.G. Wells and his time machine

The Vampire Diaries creator will next tackle Karl Alexander’s 1979 novel Time After Time.

NASA launching its own 4K TV channel

NASA TV UHD, debuting in November, will broadcast ultra HD images from space.

Why Fear the Walking Dead is like Battlestar Galactica

Both shows focused on close-ups and point-of-view shots.

Sharon Osbourne opts to delay talking about her hiatus from The Talk

“I thought I was ready to discuss with the world why I took a leave of absence from The Talk, but on reflection, I feel that I’m not ready or strong enough right now,” Osbourne wrote on Facebook, promising to tell her story at a later date.

Watch the trailer for Amazon’s Red Oaks

The 1985-set country club comedy stars Jennifer Grey, Richard Kind, Paul Reiser and Seth Meyers’ brother.

Joss Whedon gave a shout-out to Angel in Avengers 2

Whedon revealed the Easter egg in his director’s commentary.

Lady Mary debuts a new hairstyle in new Downton Abbey video

Check out her “blunt, Cabaret-style bob.”

24 alum Sarah Wynter joins Amazon’s Trial

She’ll play Billy Bob Thornton’s client on the David E. Kelley legal drama.

Kim Richards gets probation in public intoxication arrest

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star reached a plea deal that will also have her attend a full year of Alcoholics Anonymous.

PBS’ American Experience tries to capture Walt Disney’s life in 4 hours

“Few lives can sustain a two-hour documentary, but with Walt Disney, four doesn’t seem nearly enough,” says Brian Lowry. “Filmmaker Sarah Colt paints a portrait that’s far more complex than the avuncular presence people came to know — or feel like they did — hosting those Sunday-night TV introductions for The Wonderful World of Disney.”